Mr. Adee to Mr.
Scruggs.
Department
of State,
Washington, August 30,
1892.
No. 279.]
Sir: Referring to my ins traction No. 278, of this
day’s date, and in particular to that portion in regard to the reported
taking of passengers from the Caracas, I inclose
herewith for your information copy of a letter from Messrs. Boulton, Bliss
& Dallett, of New York, giving some particulars of the occurrence and
communicating the formal protest of Capt. Woodrick, of the Caracas.
You will observe the statement that the passengers in question “had left La
Guayra with the full knowledge and consent of the recognized Government of
Venezuela.”
I am, sir, etc.,
Alvey A. Adee,
Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure in No. 279.]
Messrs. Boulton, Bliss &
Dallett to Mr. Foster.
Red “D”
Line of Steamships,
(Boulton, Bliss & Dallett,
general managers),
135 Front street, New
York, August 26, 1892.
(Received August 27.)
Sir: We beg to report the following
occurrence:
Our steamship Caracas, which sailed from La Guayra
on Tuesday, the 16th, with a number of passengers bound for Puerto
Cabello and Curaçao, arrived at Puerto Cabello the following
morning.
On the afternoon of that day an official came on board from Gen.
Urdaneta, who was in control of the port, to demand the surrender of six
of the passengers who were destined to Curaçao.
As they had left La Guayra with the full knowledge and consent of the
recognized Government of Venezuela, and were not charged with any crime,
Capt. Woodrick declined to surrender them. The official then stated
that, if necessary, force would be used, and sent on board of the ship a
number of officers provided with revolvers who, in spite of the protest
of Capt. Woodrick, took the passengers on shore, where they were
detained.
On arrival at Curacao the next morning, Capt. Woodrick cabled the facts
of the case to the United States minister at Caracas. Inclosed you will
please find a copy of the protest noted by Capt. Woodrick.
As the Caracas is an American vessel, we presume
it is our duty to report the occurrence to you for such action, if any,
you may deem proper.
We have the honor, etc.,
Boulton, Bliss &
Dallett.
Know all men by these presents, that I, Capt. Wm. Woodrick, of steamship
Caracas, of Wilmington, Del., United States
of America, having sailed from La Guayra on the 16th of August bound for
Puerto Cabello and Curaçao with the following passengers: Jacinto Lopez,
Dr. P. Febres Cordevo, Francisco M. Casas, Antonio Salinas, M. Lopez,
and Manuel Rama, and on the arrival of said steamship Caracas in the port of Puerto Cabello about 4 o’clock p.m.,
the authorities of Puerto Cabello boarded the said steamship Caracas and arrested the above-mentioned
passengers and prevented them from proceeding further on their voyage;
they having paid their passage and complied with all the requirements of
the laws of Venezuela and regulations of said steamship Caracas.
Therefore I, William Woodrick, captain of this steamship Caracas, on board of same, do hereby most
solemnly enter my protest against the arrest and removal of said
passengers from this ship.
Given under my hand this the 17th day of August,
1892.
Wm. Woodrick.
[Page 620]
United
States Consulate,
Puerto
Cabello, August 17,
1892.
I, William G. Riley, consul of the United States at Puerto Cabello, do
hereby certify that the signature of William Woodrick at the foot of the
paper hereunto annexed is his true and genuine signature, made and
acknowledged in my presence, and that the said William Woodrick is
personally known to me.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of
the consulate at Puerto Cabello, this day and year next above written,
and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and
seventeenth.
[
seal.]
William G. Riley,
United States
Consul.
